Typographical machine



L. SHERRIU..

TYPOGRAPHICAL MAOHINE.

APPLICATION -FILED JUNE 28.1920.

15388369, Emme@ .my 5, 1921.,

t* @Q N lg if x N be N E) n n|- N Lg @97B TRNEYS UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE..

LUTHER SHERRHJL, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR TO MERGENTHALERLINOTYPE COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW' YORK.

TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINE.

To all lwhom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, LUTHER SHERRILL, a citizen of the United States,lresiding at Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in TypographicalMachines of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to typographical machines, such as linotypemachines of the eneral organization represented in Letters atent of theUnited States to O. Mergenthaler, No.- 436,532, wherein circulatingmatrices are released from a magazine in the order in which theircharacters are to appearl in print and then composed in line in anassemblin elevator, the composed line then trans erred through anintermediate channel into a vertically movable first elevatorwhichlpresents 1t to a mold, whereupon the mold is filled with moltenmetal to form a slug or linotype against the matrices which produce thetype characters thereon, and the matrices thereafter elevated andreturned through a distributing mechanism to the magazine from whichthey started. More particularly, it relates to that class of machinesdesigned to handle matrices provided with two or more superposedcharacters, and wherein the assembling elevator, intermediate channel,and first elevator are each provided with two sets of supporting railswhereb the matrices may be composed and maintamed at an upper or lowerlevel, or both, as desired, to locate the selected characters inoperative position.

W'hen it is desired to cast a'slug from the lower characters of all ofthe matrices of a composed line (as for a solid line of italics), it isthe usual practice to assemble and maintain such matrices, not at theupper level as would otherwise be required, but at the lower level, andthen to arrest the rst elevator in a slightly raised position so as tolocate the selected characters opposite the mold slot, such arrest ofthe elevator being ordinarily effected by a stop member mounted on thevise frame and adapted to be thrown into action at the willof theoperator. Similarly, in the use of head-letter matrices or matrices withcharacters above 14: pt. the same practice is followed so as to eifectthe proper alinement of the matrix characters with the mold. slot.. Theforegoing practice Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 5, '1921.

Application led .Tune 28, 1920. Serial No. 392,207.

has given rise to very serious objections, as 1t frequently happens thatan operator, through oversight or carelessness, will assemblematrices atthe upper level while the elevator stop is in action, which will result.

vent the delivery of the matrix line to the mold except under the properconditions. To this end, the machine is equipped with a safety devicewhich acts when the elevator stop is in active position to prevent thetransfer of the matrix line into the elevator, unless such line.iscomposed at the. lower level. In the embodiment herein illustrated, thestop is in the form of a pivoted lever carried by the first elevator andmovable to active or inactive position thereon,.and the safety device isin the-form of a rod connected at one end to the pivoted lever andhaving its other end arranged to be moved into and out of the firstelevator at its entrance, the arrangement being such that when the stopis moved to active and inactive position,

the rod will be 'projected into and withdrawn` from the first elevatorrespectivel thereby preventing or permittingthe transfer into vsaidelevator of matrices standing at the up- .per level, according to theposition/of the lplied to the speciic kind of machine mentioned, butobviously manyl changes and variations may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of the inventio which, it is therefore to beunderstood is no limited to any .specific form or embodiment except inso far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Referringto .the drawing Figure 1 is a front elevation-of a portion of alinotype machine having the present improv'einents applied thereto:

Fig.. 2 is a vertical section taken through the casting mechanism, andshowing the first elevator in raised position preparatory. to theengagement of the mold with the matrix line for the casting operation;and I Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 2.

The matrices X (herein. shown as of the two-letter variety) ai'e storedin the magazine A and are released' therefrom in the v usual way by themanipulation of the keyboard B, whence they pass into the assemblingelevator C wherein they are composed in line. After composition of theline, the elevator C is raised into registration with the intermediatechannel l), such movement of the elevator tripping the transfer carriageE, which thereupon shifts the composed line to the leftinto the firstelevator or transporter F. 'llhe first elevator then descends to locatethe line before the casting mold G, which immediately advances fromtherear into engagement therewith preparatory to the casting operation,all as well understood in the art. As before indicated, the assemblingelevator C, the intermediate channel D, and the first elevator F areeach provided vvith two sets of supporting rails, for sustaining thematrices at the upper or lower level, as required. rllhis constructionis so well known that no detailed description thereof seems necessary,but, to identify the parts, it may be noted that the matrices aresustained at the upper level in the assembling elevatorl C by theretractable rails C1 and C2 (Fig. l) and in the first elevator F by theretractable blade or rail F1 (Fig. 2), which latter figure also showsthe fixed rails F2 for sustaining the matrices at the lower level in thefirst elevator. lt may also be noted that the mold Gr is formed at thefrontI with the two superposed grooves G1 and G2, in one or theother ofwhich the alining ears of matrices engage according to the `level atwhich they are sustained in the first elevator. ing lof the constructionand operation of these parts is desired, reference may behad to theRogers Re. Patent No. 13,489.

ln the normal operation of the machine, the first elevator F is allowedto descend to its lowermost position, as determined by the engagement ofits set-screw F3 with the top face of the vise frame H. ln thisconnection, it is pointed out that the elevator is provided with asecond set screw F4 arranged to engage and depress the vise automatic l1 as the elevator comes to rest. However, for reasons previously noted,the machine is usually equipped with a stop member which may be throwninto action at will to arrest the first elevator in a raised j positionwith reference to the mold, as shown in Fig. 2, but when the elevator isthus arrested, it is necessary that the matrices be sustainedtherein atthe lower level, as.

otherwise the objections before mentioned will arise. Thns, if thematrices were sustained at the upper level, as indicated by the dottedlines in Fig. 2, it is evident that their lower ears would fail to enterthe upper alining groove G1 of the mold G as lf a fullerunderstandieeenee the latter advances from the rear, so that injury tothe parts or a bad squirt would necessarily result.

According to the present invention, and to obviate the foregoingobjection, means are provided to prevent the entrance of the composedline into the first elevator at the upper level when the elevator is tobe arrested in its raised position. To accomplish this result,specically, the stop member 'for the first elevator is mounted directlythereon, and the elevator is further equipped with -a device connectedto the elevator stop and which is arranged to be projected into and outof the elevator as the stop member is moved to active and inactiveposition,.re spectively. ln the preferred embodiment illustrated, theelevator stop is in the form of a horizontally disposed angular lever 0pivoted to the underside of the elevator head by a screw-bolt or pin 01and provided on. its two varms with interponents 02 and 03,respectively, the former being arranged to coperate with the set-screwF3 which limits the descent of the elevator, and the latter beingarranged to coperate with the set-screw F 4 which actuates the viseautomatic H1. The longer arm of the pivoted lever projects to the rightbeyond the elevator head (Fig. 3) so as to provide a handle portionwithin easy reach of the operator while seated at the keyboard, and stoppins O4 and O5 serve to limit the movement of the lever in oppositedirections. rlihe pin O4 is arranged to arrest the lever in its activeposition i. e. with the interponents 02 and 03 beneath their respectiveset-screws F3 and F t as shown by the full lines in Fig. 3, while thepin 05y is arranged to arrest the lever in its inactiveposition 1'. c.with the interponents located clear of the set screws as shown by thedotted lines in said figure. lt is apparent, that by adjusting the stoplever to active or inactive position, the first elevator will bearrested in raised relation to the mold (Fig- 2),` or allowed to accupyits normal relation thereto, according to the adjustment of the stoplever.

Referring now to the safety device, it is merely in the form of a smallrod F connected at one end' to the handle portion of the stop lever 0and having its opposite end slidably arranged in a hole or opening cutthrough the front wall of thel first elevater at its entrance and atapoint located above the fixed matrix supporting rails F2, the length ofthe rod being such that it will be projected into and withdrawn 4fromthe elevator as the stop lever is moved to active and inactive positionrespectively. Consequently, if the matrix line should be improperlycomposed at the upper level while the elevator stop isin action, the rodF will bar the entrance to the first elevatorchannel (Figs. 2 and 3) andthus prevent the lbe assembled at their lower level before the'y can betransferred into the first elevator for the type casting operation. Itwill be understood, of course, that when the elevator stop lis out ofaction,l the matrices may be composed at the upper or lower level orboth, as the elevator in such condition ofthe stop is permitted todescend to its normal position.

It is 'particularly noted that, in the foregoing arrangement, the partsare extremely simple and can be made at small cost and aplied to themachine without the slightest di culty `or delay', and this withoutinvolving any radical alteration in the existing machine parts. Inaddition, the arrangement is strong, durable and compact and such thatit may be easily and conveniently manipulated. The form and arrangementof the elevator stop as above described is also very advantageous, quiteapart from its association with the safety device,.it being rememberedthat the stop lever is carried by the first elevator and is providedwith a handle portion projecting beyond the same toward the right withineasy reach of the operator while seated at the. keyboard.

These and other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art.However, in its broader aspects, the invention is not limited to theprecise construction shown and described, as many changes may be made inthe details thereof and still be comprised within its scope. Generallyspeaking, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited toany specific form or embodiment except in so far as such limitations arespecified in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, its construction and Inode ofoperation, what I claim is as follows:

l. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of arnold, atransporter movable into and out of operative relation therewith andconstructed to support matrices therein at different levels, adjustablemeans carried by the transporter to vary the vvertical= position thereofin reference to the mold, and a device controlled by said means topermit or prevent the support of matrices at an upper level within thetransporter ac'- cording to the adjustment of said means.

2. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a mold, atransporter movable into and outof operative relation therewith andconstructed to support matrices therein at different levels, adjustablemeans carried by the transporter to vary the vertical position thereofin reference to the mold,

and a device controlled by said adjustable` means to permit or preventthe entrance of matrices into the transporter at an upper level,according to the adjustment of said means.

'3. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a mold, atransporter movable into and out of operative relation therewith andconstructed to support matrices therein at different levels, adjustablemeans carried by the transporter to vary the vertical position thereofin reference to the mold, and a device also carried by the transporterand controlled by said adjustable means to permit or prevent theentrance of matrices into said transporter at an upper level accordingto the adjustment of said means.

4. Ina linotype machine, the combination with the assembling elevator,the intermediate channel, and the first elevator, each constructed tosustain matrices at different levels therein, and the transfer carriage,for shifting the composed line from the assembling elevator .throughthe intermediate.

'channel into the first elevator, of a stop member carried by the firstelevator and adjustable to active orx inactive position thereon so as toarrest said elevator in raised position or permit it to descend to itsnormal position, and a device controlled by the stop member and arrangedto be-projected into or -withdrawn from the path of matrices standing atan upper level according to the adjustment of said stop member.

5.' In a linotype machine,the combination of the vertically movablefirst elevator constructed to support matrices at different levelstherein, a stop member carried by the elevator and movable thereon toactive or inactive position, and a safety 'device also carried by theelevator and connected to the stop member, said safety device beingarranged to be projected 'into and withdrawn from the elevator at itsentrance as said stop member is moved to active and inactive position,respectively,y for the purpose described. v

6. In a linotype machine, the combination of the first elevatorconstructed to support matrices'at different levels therein, the pivotedstop lever U carried by the first elevator, and the safety rod P alsocarried by the elevator and connected. to the pivoted lesignaturehereto.

'apri-mn siiERRrLL.

